Independent music labels' stock destroyed in warehouse fire

The UK's independent music scene has been rocked by the
destruction of a warehouse in Enfield which contained stock from
many British labels.

Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC) in Enfield held
stock from distributor PIAS, which licenses and distributes music
from around 165 of Britain's independent labels, including Rough
Trade, Beggars, Ninja Tune, Domino and Warp. The full list can be
found on the Drowned in Sound message boards, but covers
almost every important record label in the country.

Those labels represent artists like The Horrors, Adele, and Two
Door Cinema Club, and many labels are worried that all or most of
their stock will have gone up in flames when the warehouse was
torched. Music Weekquotes Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills as stating that his
labels would be less affected than smaller labels, as they had
stock in other locations. Still, he said that the loss was
"horrible, horrible".

Caroline Beashel, from independent label Oh! Inverted World
(which wasn't directly affected by the fire), told Wired.co.uk: "I
know how crippling this will be for small indies. We'd never be
able to afford such a loss."

Darren Hemmings, head of digital marketing for PIAS, said
on Twitter that the situation remains to be clarified, but that
the Sony DADC warehouse holds PIAS stock. "We know DADC was
destroyed & are waiting to confirm exactly how badly this has
affected PIAS," he said.

Update: The Association of Independent Music
(AIM) has called on music fans to help. In a statement, the group said:
"What music fans can do to show their support for the indie label
community, and help them survive this disaster is to buy a digital
download of an album from any one of the digital retailers in the
UK, as well as going to their local record store while stocks last.
This way, the labels will be able to remanufacture their CDs and
vinyl more quickly, to resupply the record shops who are also
affected by the riots."

Update II: The warehouse was also home to
stockpiles of independent movies from the BFI, Dogwoof and
Artificial Eye. The BFI alone has lost stock totalling 120,000
units. The Guardian has more details.

Update III: A campaign has been set up to help
the affected labels. LabelLove
is collecting donations for those who lost stock in the fire. If
you want to help, you can visit the website, or email labellovebenefit@gmail.com.